Alzheimer’s disease blood test cleared by FDA

Primary care physicians can now test their patients for Alzheimer’s disease following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s clearance of a blood test.

The assay was designed to quantify phosphorylated tau 181 — a known biomarker associated with Alzheimer’s disease — among patients 55 years and older with signs of cognitive impairment, according to a news report from Medical Device Network. Researchers noted that the blood test had a negative predictive value of nearly 98% in a group of more than 300 participants, representing its potential to rule out amyloid pathology in early clinical assessment and refer patients who may require advanced neurologic evaluation.

The researchers hope their novel blood test can streamline the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease as well as reduce reliance on specialists and more invasive testing methods.

Read more: Medical Device Network

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